Escape of the Midnightpath Walkers
by Skye Charcol Marie
Summary: Vampires, Demons, Assassins all mixed into one as a lonely girl sets off with her two friends on the run from a bloodthirsty demon and the truth behind what she really is and what her destiny reveals.
1. Chapter 1

I

Malem gasped at the sight of herself. She had red rings around her eyes, from where she cries hard at night. She pulled off the corset around her waist and examined the whip marks along her back. They stung, and they were raw, but she was used to pain. Pain was what she was. She inflicted pain onto others just to feel pain herself. She could never be killed, but she could be injured, that's where the whip marks came from.

Malem felt drained and exhausted. But because of her fear to fall asleep, she stayed up all night.

_'There are people in __this world who want__ you dead, Malem.'_ Tiny voices in her head told her.

Her closest friend, Vericia, told her she was schizophrenic for hearing such voices. Malem was convinced she was too. But she learned to live with the voices. They gave her advice and made her feel whole. Without the voices, she'd probably fall apart.

Lightning flashed for a split second, illuminating the room, making her look like a ghost with her pale skin and fragile body.

She ran her fingers down her side, counting her ribs for no apparent reason, sighing at her malnourishment. She came to the side of her thigh where she unhooked her first dagger's sheath from around her leg and set it down on the table by an unlit candle. She did the same to the other dagger on the other side. This time she pulled the dagger out.

She looked over the black blade, twirling it in her hands.

"Maybe tonight will be the night." She thought. She was sick of living with the bounty hunters in their stupid school, obeying their orders to kill. She didn't like killing innocent people for money, but it was the only life she knew. Once, while wondering the streets of the market, she'd spotted children accompanied by their mothers and father, laughing and smiling at one another. The children would look at her happily, and she, unknowing of what she should do, ran away. She wondered what having a mother and father would be like, but she figures it doesn't matter now. Fifteen years of loneliness grows on you. _'Once you're alone for as long as you have been, Malem, who needs family.'_ The voices hissed in her ear.

She ran the dagger over her wrist lightly, waiting until the demon inside her settled. She was preparing to strike, but then there was a knock on the door.

Vericia stuck her head in. Beautiful Vericia. Her fire red hair and beautifully clear face was a sight for sore eyes. This night she wore black lipstick with too much eyeliner, making her look dead. Her eyes were and emerald green, completely clashing with her fiery hair. Instead of wearing a corset dress like Malem did, Vericia wore a long black bellbottom pants with a black shirt lined with blood red lace. She carried a sword on her back, along with a small dagger for self-defense.

"Malem, come quick, there's a new boy. He's your age, come see!" Vericia smiled. Malem never understood how Vericia could find any reason to smile in this accursed place they were in, but Vericia was alone too, and perhaps Malem gave all the girls hope, considering she's the oldest female assassin in the house.

Malem sat down in a chair and pulled out the black ribbon holding her hair back. Her snow-white hair fell loosely down her back. She ran her fingers through it, clearing it of any snags, "No, Vericia. I don't want to see the new boy, you go without me."

"Why?" Vericia's smile faded.

Malem sighed, "I've lived too long to know better than to make acquaintances with boys. All they want to do is run around with weapons and it ends up getting them killed," she sighed again, "They're not worth my friendship."

"Why not just try and make peace with the boy?" Vericia urged.

"Why would want to do that?" Malem looked at herself in the mirror, examining her ghostly features.

"Friendship makes the world a better place."

Malem's demon riled up inside her, "The world will never be what it once was!" She trudged over to the red haired girl. "This world will fail, just as it did a millennium ago!" Malem raise her fist, ready to violently smack Vericia, but she stopped herself. She took a deep breath and lowered her hand. She sobbed and walked over to the window. Lightning flashed again. Malem's eyes flashed red, as they do when her demon is urging to break out through her. She continued to breathe slowly, but, with every inhale, the demon scraped at her insides, ripping its way through. Malem gasped, felling as though she might throw up.

_Let me out, Malem, you know you want to. _The demon spoke to her, the voice violent, but feminine, _Think of all the people who tortured you, Malem, tortured! We can show them what it feels like to be broken! Just you and I, just let me out and we can make it happen!_

Malem struggled against the female demon, _No! I won't let you!_ Her soul screamed back at the demon.

_You can't fight me forever, Malem. Try as you might, I _will_ break through. Then everyone will see how brutal I can truly be! They'll see, they'll all see. I'll rip them __open,__ let it all spill out onto the floors! They'll scream as I rip them open alive, tearing out their-_

_Shut up!_ Malem stopped her, _You__ can't control me!_

_Oh, Malem, but I already do control you! Where do you think your anger comes from, your fear, your strength, your _pain_. I'm going all the way!_ The demon wailed.

_Get away! Please! _Malem practically cried.

Vericia, slowly approached her friend, "Malem, please, calm down."

Malem hurled herself around, forgetting Vericia was in the room. She stared blankly at Vericia, not recognizing her face at first, "I'm sorry. I just can't do this anymore, this demon, it may finally break through."

"Don't say such things!" Vericia's face stayed firm, "This demon was placed inside you because the priests knew you were strong enough to carry it. And I know you will hold it back." Vericia placed a hand on Malem's shoulder. It was warm against her pale skin.

Malem slammed her fist down on the window sill, making the books and candle on a nearby shelf rattle. Then she remembered what the demon said, _I am you fear, your strength, your _pain. "What am I coming to?" She bellowed so loudly, Vericia cowered away.

Vericia continued to advance backwards until she ran into a chair and flipped clean over it. She landed with a thud on the wood floor, she stared up at Malem completely dumbfounded before bursting into laughter.

Malem couldn't help but join her. They laughed until the cried them stopped to breathe.

"Oh alright, it wasn't _that_ funny." Vericia snickered.

Malem wiped her eyes; holding back giggled, and offered her hand to Vericia.

Once Vericia was on her feet, she asked again, "Will you at least see the boy, please, please, please?" She begged, her eyes glowing.

Malem rolled her eyes, "Why do you want me to meet him?" she asked, her smile subsiding.

"I think you'll like him," she winked.

Malem sighed, "Fine. But if I don't like him, we are leaving." She pulled back on her corset, tightened it, and tied her hair back with the black ribbon.

"Splendid!" Vericia clapped her hands and jumped in the air, "Let's go now!" With that she grabbed Malem's wrist and ran out the door, dragging Malem behind her. When they reached the end of the hall, Vericia stopped. They knew how much Jasper hated it when people ran in the house. They had learned that out the hard way, when they were young, he yelled at them, _Do__ you want the Justice- Day-walkers to find us?_ He would say, referring to the modern-day police. They hadn't needed to be told twice, so they obeyed. As they descended the rod-iron spiral staircase, thundered sounded in the distance, followed by a crack of lightning, sending a breeze through the window, blowing out the candles that lit the girls' path.

Malem, using the little magic she knew, stopped and closed her eyes. She let her aura flow through her veins. Where this aura came from, she didn't know. She let it fill her up, making her feel warm, where all she felt was cold. Her heart rate sped, using more energy to emit aura than to produce it. The ghostly girl waved her hand over the blown out candles bringing them to life again.

Vericia watched in awe, "I didn't know you could do that!" she squeaked.

"I've been practicing," Malem boasted.

"Right." Vericia said sarcastically.

A clap from below startled them. They glanced down, a boy with long blonde hair was looking up at them, his blue eyes meeting their gaze, "Well done." He said, his voice soft and soothing, "What other magic can you do?"

Vericia was lost for words, entranced with the boy, Malem on the other hand, rolled her eyes, "I can lift things, see the future, and produce a dark aura that I use as a weapon and shield."

"Impressive." He looked around the entrance hall.

"Thank you, sir." She nodded her head.

"Sir?" he laughed, "Don't ever call me that! You make me think I'm still at home. My father, before he thought I was dangerous, would always want people to call me that. Just call me Scott." He smiled at them, blinked a few times, and vanished into thin air.

Vericia gasped. Malem stood, arms crossed, her face impassive. He appeared out of black smoke in front of Malem, inches from her face. She never flinched, but, Vericia jumped out of her skin, she nearly fell down the stairs. Scott, being a gentleman of nature, lightly grabbed her hand and set her back on her feet, then turned back to Malem, "And what, may I ask, is your name?" He took her hand and raised it to his face, kissing it.

"It's not that of an assassin to be polite." She said.

"Well, then, think me not an assassin, but an average boy with extremely good poison skills." Scott looked her in the eyes.

"You're annoying." She cocked her head.

"That's what they all say." He smiled, "Now, your name? You do have one don't you?"

"Of course I do!" She snapped, she tried to pull out of his grip, but he held tight.

He smiled wider, "Kitty's got claws!" he laughed.

"I've got daggers in my-" she stopped, remembering she took them off in her room.

"Daggers where?" he asked, curious.

"Let me go, then go away!" She screamed.

"Just tell me your name!"

"I don't have to tell you anything!" She felt the demon rile up with amusement. Malem clenched her teeth, "Malem, my name is Malem. Now let me go!" she hissed menacingly.

"Malem," he savored the name, "It means 'Moon' does it not?"

Malem nodded once.

"Well, _Malem_, I will let you go," he began.

"Finally!" she cried.

"Let me finish, I will let you go, and, I will see you in the morning," He smiled.

"You're creepy, and I don't want you anywhere near me."

He said nothing.

"Like I said," he spoke again, "I'll see you in the morning."

Malem sighed, not only did she have to see him tomorrow, but she'll have to face him every day until she dies.

Vericia on the other hand, looked star struck. Her emerald eyes sparkled as she beamed at Scott. Her hands were curled into balls as she held them out in front of her in awe, and her mouth hung ajar. She didn't look like Vericia; she was officially a love struck fan girl.

"Ladies," Scott addressed them both with a nod, and then disappeared in black cloud of smoke.

"What an annoyance!" Malem spat once he was gone.

"How can you say that?" Vericia snapped, "He was so polite and handsome in that black suit of his!" She became lost in her fantasy.

Malem was irritated, "Vericia!" She snapped her fingers, "He was crude, and exceedingly unattractive." Malem folded her arms across her chest and headed back up the stairs.

Vericia called after her, but was ignored. So, Vericia chased after her.

"Malem, please," Vericia began.

"Vericia, I told you I'd talk with him, but no way in Heaven am I going to like him." She thought for a moment, "And who does he think he is? Waltzing up to me, kissing my hand, not letting go! Oh, when I get my hands on him!" She was talking more to herself than to Vericia.

"There must have been something about him you liked." Vericia urged.

"Nope," Malem kept walking.

"His hair, all golden and shiny?"

"No."

"Come on, find something… for me?"

"Fine." She whirled around. _He truly has nothing to like_, she thought, but she looked at Vericia, her eyes filled with eagerness. So she tried. She thought hard, come to think of it, she didn't like anything about the guy… not even his golden, shiny hair. So she made something up, "He has nice… uh, skills."

"See!" Vericia smiled.

"I guess… not really," Malem murmured.

"You'll grow to like him more."

She nodded, but inside _I seriously doubt it_, was all she thought.

The two girls were back in their rooms, Vericia asleep, and Malem sitting on a beam up in her ceiling. The storm had passed and dawn was approaching. The bright pink and red streamers of the sun rippled through the sky, bringing color to Malem's pale face. She looked around her empty room. A bed in the corner, (which was hardly ever used unless someone stayed in her room), a dresser with a large broken mirror, a fireplace with a mantle holding pictures of people she didn't know, and a shelf of books by the window. No one in the house could read except Malem, (and probably Scott), but she didn't care about him. She taught Vericia the basic ABC's and how to read small children's books, but that's as far as they got. Jasper didn't like books; he said they poisoned the mind of its true purpose, to follow through with missions, so he forbids them. Malem wondered why she'd never been caught with them before. She always had one with her; they were out in the open of her room too.

_People are _afraid_ of you, Malem! They fear what you are._ The voices told her. Their whispers like daggers in her mind.

The assassin girl rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. Her eyes hadn't been closed a moment when a body flashed. It was a girl's body; she was small, around the ages of 9 or 10. She wore a long black dress that trailed behind her and tight sleeves that lead up to small hands with black nail polish. Her hair was short and curly, only flowing down to her shoulders. It was brown and looked almost damp. Her eyes where a blood red and filled with anger, the bright red lipstick on her lips cracked as she grinned wickedly at Malem. Her teeth where white a straight, a very pretty little girl, except for the fact that on her back was a long rectangular sword, very wide like an axe, almost as tall and wide as she was. It looked abnormally easy for the girl to wield it; it must have weight eighty pounds or more! She stepped forward towards Malem. She walked so gracefully she was almost gliding. She glared at Malem, the evil grin spread across her face. Then the girl pulled the giant sword off her back, stabbed it into the ground and leaned on it. She cocked her head at Malem, looking up at her with large eyes.

"W- Who are you?" Malem managed to stutter.

The girl blinked, "How can you not recognize me, Malem."

The girl spoke Malem's name and it was like pins and needles in her skin. The first word that branded itself in her mind was, _Demon_. Malem gasped and tried to open her eyes, but found that she couldn't.

"Play with me, Malem," the girl mocked with a giggle.

"Leave me alone!" Malem cried, startling herself.

The demon didn't even flinch, "Malem, why would I do that? Vod wants to play some more!"

"Vod, is that your name?" She questioned.

"Maybe." The demon girl stepped out from behind the blade.

Vod. The name ran over and over in Malem's brain. Demons _did_ have names then. And Vod was the name of hers.

"Play with me, Malem." The demon, Vod, told her.

"No!" Malem screamed.

The demon sighed and shrugged, "Your loss. This is what happens when you stray into your dreams." She picked up her sword with ease and hurled it straight at Malem.

Just as the blade struck, everything went dark. Vod disappeared and there was a loud crash. Malem's eyes flew open; she was staring up at the ceiling and the beam she had been sitting on. Her whole body was sore and her head hurt incredibly. There were footsteps outside the door. The large wooden door swung open and Vericia hurried in, followed by Scott.

"Malem! Are you okay?" Vericia knelt down beside her friend.

"We heard a crash coming from this room. What happened?" Scott stood above her. He leaned over and lit a few candles.

Vericia gasped, "Malem, you're bleeding! You never bleed!"

"What?" Malem tried to sit up, she allowed Scott to support her since she had no strength to push him away. Vericia held a mirror in her face. She was right; Malem was bleeding. Her nose was bloody and she had a huge gash running down her forehead.

Scott ran his finger lightly over the wound, "It looks as if you were struck with a blade or something."

_A blade! Vod! _Malem thought immediately.

"Vod did it." Malem whispered despite herself.

"Who?" Scott scratched his head.

Vericia on the other hand, slapped Malem across the face.

"Vericia!" Scott grabbed her hand, in case she went back for another slap, "Are you mad? She's hurt!"

"You fell asleep, Malem! You fell asleep! You know you can't do that!" Vericia screamed.

Malem gaped at her, "I didn't mean to." She apologized.

"You're just lucky no one was killed this time." Vericia settled a little.

Scott looked from Vericia to Malem, "_This time?_ You mean this has happened before?"

"Once, when I was young and new to Vod." Malem looked him in the eye.

"Vod. Who is he? You keep speaking his name, but, who is he?" Scott asked.

"_She_ is a demon of unimaginable power. She sleeps dormant inside me." Malem replied.

"A demon? I thought it was only a myth that the live inside humans."

"No, it's true. But this time I saw her. She was right there before me. She wanted to play with me and I told her no, then she hurled her blade at me." She stopped.

"Then what?" Vericia asked.

"Then I woke up on the floor, in pain and bleeding. That's when you two came."

"Good thing we did, too. Veda, or whatever her name is-" Scott waved his hand in the air.

"Vod." Vericia and Malem said in unison.

"Right, anyway, we're lucky Vod didn't do any permanent damage to you."

_If only you knew._ Malem thought.

"Let's get you cleaned up." That was Vericia.

Both Scott and Vericia helped Malem up on her feet. She felt dizzy and she couldn't see straight. Her head pounded; she retched and vomited.

Scott put a moist clean towel to her wound and mixed up an unidentifiable solution and put them on a rag. He was about to wipe the gash with the mixture, but Malem caught his wrist, startling him with her speed.

"What?" he asked, the ghostly girl glared at him and he knew what she was thinking, "Don't worry, it's a mixture my mother showed me before she died. It'll slow the bleeding."

"I don't need it." Malem said.

"If I don't apply this, the puss will run and you'll have a massive fever. And if that happens, chances are you'll fall asleep to fight the infection, who knows what'll happen then."

Malem sighed and released him. He wiped the wound with the rag, cleaned up the blood, and applied bandaged to her nose and forehead.

"Malem, it's kind of funny, seeing you wounded." Vericia said.

"Yeah… a little." Malem smiled, then stopped when her head pounded telling her she was supposed to be in pain.

"Maybe we should stay with you in case you doze off again." Scott offered.

Malem groaned.

"Alright then, what do you suggest? This is for your own good."

Malem glared at him.

"You're so stubborn, did you know that?" he glared back.

"Really, I hadn't noticed. But I did notice how you were dying over me earlier." Malem mused.

Scott rolled his eyes.

"It's for the best that we stay." Vericia broke the tension.

"Whatever, I don't care anymore." Malem said.

"Then it's decided then. We'll stay here until the sun finally comes up."

"The sun should have come up by now." Malem said, slightly confused.

"No it shouldn't have."

"_Yes_ it should have." Malem insisted, "Dawn was just breaking over the mountains when I went under."

"But when we came in, there was no sun. The moon was still bright in the sky, look." Vericia pointed to the window.

Malem used whatever strength she had left to stand and make her way over to the window. She was right. There was no sun, or streamers of color as there were before.

_Have you figured it out yet?_ Vod asked, _You're__ weak, Malem, I control your sense of reality!_ The demon's piercing laugh hurt her ears. Malem grabbed her ears and fell to her knees shrieking.

"Get out of my head!" she shrieked.

Scott and Vericia ran to her.

Malem dropped to the floor and thrashed. She lashed out at every known object around her, even Scott and Vericia. She knocked books off shelves, candles off tables. Her mirror fell and shattered, sending spears of glass hurdling in all directions.

_I win, Malem._ Vod told her, _You__ lose, you lost ages ago. You can't fight me._

Malem cried harder, she kicked out and breaking a leg on her desk, knocking papers, pens, and ink containers crashing to the floor.

Vericia was in tears and Scott was wide-eyed.

"What do we do!" he grabbed his hair.

"We need to restrain her!" Vericia said through tears.

Scott used his magical abilities to bind Malem's with cold fire. He let the magic fill him up, giving him strength and courage.

Vericia lunged onto Malem's legs, using her body weight to pin them down.

Malem screamed, shattering the window. Shards of glass flew everywhere. They cut Vericia's cheek and arms; they gouged Scotts back and legs. But they didn't notice, they were too busy trying to hold Malem down.

A shard of glass fell into Malem's chest, not fatally, but enough to inflict pain.

Malem's tears stained face cringed in pain and her body thrashed some more. Her eyes flew open, making the other two gasp. Her eyes were blood red.

"Vod is taking over!" Vericia yelled at Malem, "Don't let her!"

In Malem's mind she heard voices, some where the voices that talked to her often, the others where voices of demon; their voices scratchy and sly, telling her to stop struggling and accept it.

_It's your destiny!_ One voice told her. _You're going to destroy the world, Malem._ Others told her.

"No!" Malem cried.

_Vod is taking over! Don't let her!_ She heard.

"Vericia?" she whimpered.

_I'm here, don't give in. Please just don't._

"The pain, Vericia, the pain!"

_Fight it, Malem! You must._

She cried and thrashed for hours, until dawn broke over the mountains. The light poured through the broken window and onto Malem's exhausted face. All three of them were drenched in sweat, and Malem continued to fight the demon. She continued to thrash wildly.

"What more do we have to do?" said the now panicked Scott, "Perform and exorcist?"

"You know we can't do that!" Vericia yelled at him, "We'll have to wait her out."

"That's what we've been doing!" he shook his hands at her, "We've been waiting her out for the past six hours, and she hasn't calmed down!"

"Give her more time!"

Scott slacked his shoulders and sat down in a chair, he wiped his sweaty brow with the back of his hand.

"What are you doing?" Vericia was getting upset.

"Waiting." He replied, "You should do the same. There's nothing we can do for her now. It's all up to her."

Vericia didn't comprehend his words at first. She looked at the straining Malem on the floor. She blinked away tears and stood up off her friend. Her legs now stung from the glass wounds and the bruises inflicted by the flailing Malem. She walked over to the bed, her eyes wide and stunned. She shook as she sat quietly on the bed staring at the floor.

Scott stood from his chair and walked over to the bed. He sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders comforting her as she shook. Once Vericia had calmed down, they both looked over at Malem, who had tears mixed with blood streaming down the sides of her face. She wasn't thrashing as hard, merely writhing on the floor.

The two on the bed watched her helplessly. They both shared tears of fear and helplessness as they watched their friend lose herself. Lightning flashed and in the beat of the flash, they swore they heard a horse neigh.

Malem's eyes opened and she saw faces flash before her. They seemed to fly in circles, and then disappear out the broken window. And with that, Malem forcefully shut her eyes and slept for the first time in a long time.


	2. Chapter 2

II

In the east, the sun was rising. The rider in the black cloak wheeled his horse around and trotted over to the shade of a large pine. The rider dismounted and patted his horse's neck. The whites of the animal's eyes showed as its rider reached for its neck. The stallion reared, pinning his ears against his head, and back away, but the rider seized its tack and pulled it back. The horse stomped his feet anxiously, his nostrils flaring, tail thrashing wildly. He kicked out and tried to lash out at his rider.

The man holding the beast gave up and tied the animal to a branch on the tree letting it graze and calm itself. Yet its ears flickered as he moved by. The man pulled off his hood and squatted by the base of the tree. He stared at the dark horizon where the moon was setting. He ran his fingers through his oily black hair, and then sighed. As the sun rose, his shadow refused to grow or move. He gave up trying to avoid the sun and sat back against the tree. The sun eventually swallowed him and he allowed the warmth to burn him. The man pulled his hood back over his head before any real damage could be done to his face. He closed his eyes and let the rhythm of his mount's grazing lull him. He knew he couldn't sleep, but he could dream none the less. He dreamt of home, wherever it was now and of his death hundreds of years before.

The mysterious man was lost in his dream when his horse let out a menacing neigh. He stamped his feet impatiently and the whites of his eyes showed now more than ever.

The man swung his head around in search of the thing that startled the black stallion. He could see nothing, but his horse was still agitated about something.

A voice from behind him spoke, "So this is what your kind does all day, huh?" The voice said. "Lollygagging around in the day time, trying to sleep, yet know you can't? You know I'm right."

The man in black twirled around and found himself face to face with a small girl. Her hair was short and blonde.

"Am I right, Astaroth?" The girl said again.

The man, Astaroth, didn't reply. Instead he said, "You're late."

The girl stood up straight, hands on her hips, "A demon is never late, fool."

"Apparently you are." Astaroth said matter-of-factly.

"You dare quarrel with a demon?" The blonde said in fake surprise.

"I do."

"You have guts, viper," Was her reply.

"Why did you call me here?" He asked.

The girl sighed, "As impatient as always!"

Astaroth said nothing.

"Let's chat for a while, I have time. I have all the time in the world."

"As do I." Astaroth said his face impassive.

The demon girl frowned, "Very well." She sat beside Astaroth.

"You haven't changed, Vod." Astaroth began, "Your personality, I mean. Your hair has changed."

"It always does." Vod replied, pretending to examine her fingernails.

"How did you get out?" He asked, looking into her big blue eyes.

Vod looked away, "It was easy really. All I had to do was crush the poor girl's spirit."

Astaroth was silent. "Are you free? Am I free?"

"Don't be silly!" She laughed, "If you were free, I wouldn't be here."

Astaroth's eyes narrowed, "Then what do you want?"

"Kill her." She smiled.

"Kill whom?"

"My vessel." She said, "Kill her and I'll be free. Kill her, and you _and _you know who are free."

"Aconite? It's been a long time since I heard that name." Astaroth said, closing his eyes again.

"Yet you have not forgotten who he is?" Vod asked.

"Of course not, how could I forget my own brother?"

"Good question."

"And what of Charcol?" He looked at her, eyes full of interest.

"Ah, her… What of her?" Vod pondered then shrugged, "It matters not. Use her or leave her, your choice. She's not bound to me, so I don't care."

"So be it." Astaroth looked over at his horse. It was still wild with anxiousness.

The two sat in silence for an endless time period. Neither of them spoke. Neither of them moved. The sun past diligently until everything was shadowed, dusk was approaching.

Vod moved her eyes and focused on Astaroth. He stared straight ahead, eyes closed; his shoulder length black hair blew into his face with the passing wind. His nails were painted black, and she was sure she saw a black vine tattoo snake from his palm up his arm, the thorns shaped like stars. He wore rings of gold on his fingers which he played with in his hands. Astaroth's skin was drained of all color and she could tell he had not eaten in some time.

Vod leaned back against the tree, "Have you fed?"

"What?" he sighed.

"Have you fed lately, Astaroth?"

He shook his head.

Vod reached into her skin pouch at her side and tossed him a bag of red liquid. He caught it in his hand without opening his eyes. The red liquid sloshed inside the bag. Astaroth opened one of his eyes and looked at it, "Where did you get this?"

"A hospital." She said.

"How did you manage this?"

"That's for me to know."

"You're such a child."

"Technically I am," Vod waved a hand along her body.

He rolled his eyes.

"Well, do you want the blood or not?"

He shook his head again and threw the bag back

Vod caught it, "Well, what the hell do I need this for?" she shook the blood in his face, "You know, I went through a lot of trouble to get this for you."

"What'd you do?" he asked, "Or actually, who'd you kill?"

"Sure," she sighed, "Every time Vod does a neighborly deed, she's accused of murder!"

He raised an eyebrow, "You don't do neighborly deeds."

She snorted and violently shook the bag of blood in his face.

"It it mean that much to you!" Astaroth grabbed the bag back. He opened his mouth and his canines grew into an inhuman pair of fangs. He then held the bag up to his face and with an almost hissing noise sunk his teeth into the blood.

Vod watched with an uninterested interest. She watched the sun fall over the hills and listened to Astaroth gasp for breath as he drank. She could tell he had finished when the rustle of an empty plastic bag fell into the grass by her thigh. She turned to look at Astaroth. He was wiping blood off his lips with his fingers.

Astaroth looked at her, "What?"

"Better?"

"I prefer type B, but O works fine I guess."

"It's all the same for you Vampires." Vod groaned, "You judge blood like wine. Blood is just blood."

"For you." Astaroth smirked.

She grimaced.

"Anyway, explain to me again how you got out of your, _vessel_, did you call it?" he asked.

"I messed with her head, caused her to fall asleep, and slipped out."

"How long do you have before you return to her?"

"Twelve days."

"So, I have twelve days to kill this girl?"

Vod nodded.

"How?" Astaroth questioned, as usual, he expected Vod to instruct him to make it as slow and as painful as possible to get her point across the victim.

She surprised him by saying, "Anyway you please, as long as she dies."

Astaroth nodded. He stared up at the setting sun, the shadows around him grew long and twilight was fast approaching.

"You should get going." Vod insisted, pointing to his horse.

"Who is this girl, you never told me?" Astaroth made eye contact.

"Malem, the moon child." Vod spat the name, "You'll know her when you see her."

He nodded.

Astaroth sighed and rubbed his temples. He stood, his trench coat falling behind him and swinging as he walked. He pulled his hair back with his hands and let it drop behind his shoulders. He gracefully and effortlessly pulled himself into the saddle. The leather as the horse paced back and forth.

Vod walked up to the shoulder of the animal and looked up at the vampire sitting upon it, "You know where you're going?" But by the look on Astaroth's face she already knew the answer. "Good, Oh and—"

"Consider it done." He said reading her thoughts. On that, he wheeled the black stallion and clucked it forward. Reluctantly the horse galloped off the opposite direction of the sun, flinging dirt and rocks as it ran. Astaroth leaned close to his mount's neck as they ran. He looked behind him and saw Vod was gone. He pursed his lips and urged his horse faster.


	3. Chapter 3

III

The next morning, Malem awoke to breakfast in bed. The smell of eggs, bacon, tea, and muffins filled her nostrils and made her mouth water. Vericia was smiling down at her.

"Was I asleep?" Malem asked, still feeling a little groggy from last night.

Vericia nodded, "Isn't it wonderful?"

Malem was too happy for words. It had been eleven years since she'd last slept, and now she didn't know what to say.

"Eat," Vericia encouraged, offering a muffin.

Happily, Malem took the muffin and bit into it. It had a rich pumpkin taste, and it was still warm. She savored the deliciousness of the food eat time she took a bite. Before she knew it, the scrumptious pastry was gone.

She looked at what remained on her plate. She picked up her fork and began picking at her eggs. They were sunny-side up, which wasn't her favorite, but after what she put her friends through; she wasn't going to be picky. The bacon was also warm and brilliantly crisp.

As she chewed she stared out the window at the brilliant bright sky.

"It's like I can see for the first time," Malem said.

"Mmm?" Vericia asked her mouth full of Malem's food.

"So Vod left?" She grinned, "I'm free?"

Vericia swallowed, "Well…" She stopped herself and thought.

Malem didn't hear her, "I fell fantastic! Like never before!" She laughed and stretched her arms out.

"Malem, you're scaring me," Vericia stared.

Malem calmed down a bit, and finished her food. She wiped her mouth with her napkin and looked around her destroyed room. Furniture was in pieces on the floor, books lay open upside down on tables, candle sticks where broken in half hanging from their handles, the floor was covered in scratches and blood. The window was shattered and so was the mirror. She stared in awe.

"Did I do that?" She pointed.

Vericia nodded.

Malem sighed, "So what exactly happened? I don't remember a thing."

"You can thank Charcol for that."

"Charcol? Don't you mean, Char_coal_?"

She shook her head, "She's works in the library down in town, and she's also some type of psychiatrist."

Malem raised an eyebrow, "And so she _came_, and did some weird spell with my head, and now I can't remember what happened?"

Vericia nodded again.

"What the hell would you do that?" Malem snapped.

"She said you didn't need to remember. Scott called her early this morning, we were so lucky she was awake at that hour. She offered to help, she came, worked on your head while you were asleep. She also brought a girl with her. A girl a little older than you, maybe seventeen maybe, anyway, she just handed Charcol medical supplies. She wore sunglasses indoors which was weird, but they seemed to know what they were doing." Vericia said calmly, taking the tray from the bed and placing it on the dresser.

"Can I talk to her?"

She shrugged, "You probably could, I mean it's a public library. Charcol said you should try and be on your feet as soon as possible, she said it kind of harsh though, Scott was frightened by her."

Malem rolled her eyes, "I bet the rustle of trees would frighten him. Where is he anyway?"

"He wanted to go get some air; I think he's out back."

Malem nodded.

"Want me to go get him?" Vericia looked down at her.

"No, I'll get him myself," She smiled up at her friend, "I need to be back on my feet as soon as possible right?"

Vericia smiled sheepishly back.

Outside, Malem found Scott perched in a tree reading a book titled, _Vicious Venom_. He didn't seem to notice she was there until she threw a stick in his direction, missing by millimeters. He jumped and slipped from the branch. He crashed to the earth with a cry of alarm. He stood, dusting off his tan suede jacket. He glared at Malem, but she innocently smiled back. "What do you want?" he asked.

Malem swayed from one foot to the other, "Can't I come say 'Hi?'"

"Not when you chuck a stick at my head!" he snarled.

"I'm not liking your tone…" She mocked, half lying.

"Really?" he snarled again, "Now what do you want?"

That was it, Malem charged at him so fast he didn't know what had hit him, the next thing he knew he was pinned against the tree with a knife through his jacket.

"Listen you," Malem hissed, "I don't like you too much, so don't get on my bad side. You're going to tell me what I want to know, I won't be nice about it if you don't!"

"Okay, okay!" he surrendered, "What do you want to know?"

"What did you do to me while I was out?"

Scott looked at Vericia for help, but she merely looked at her feet. He looked back at Malem, her eyes where wide with anger and wonder.

"Her name was Charcol," He began.

"I know that!"

"Let me go on! Anyway, her name was Charcol, and the girl with her was Kyse. They work down at the library. Last night I stumbled across an ad about her, it kind of like hit me in the face, but I called the number on it and they were over here in a flash. Charcol asked Kyse to wait by her things while she worked, and she didn't hesitate to listen.

"Then she started, she did something weird, like magic weird. She placed her forefinger on your forehead and muttered a few things. She breathed in air like you would from a straw. After that she asked Vericia and I to leave and to send Kyse in. We waited and no sooner than were we out of the room, she was done. She said we didn't owe her anything and that you needed to be back on your feet as soon as you regained consciousness. That's all." He caught his breath.

Malem pulled her knife out of Scott's jacket then turned to Vericia, "Is all that true?"

Vericia nodded, "Every word."

"I want to meet this Charcol of yours." Malem said, sheathing her dagger back around her leg.

Scott spoke up, "I'll take you. The library's not that far from the Hills Inn."

Malem nodded.

Vericia skipped over, "I want to come too!"

Malem smiled, "Well, the trio begins."


	4. Chapter 4

VI

The walk through town was slow and boring. The cobblestone streets were empty, except for a usual street urchin here and there. Scott and Malem said nothing to each other the whole walk to the library. Though they did glare at each other when one thought the other wasn't looking. Vericia felt like she was trapped in a wolf cage during feeding time.

She took a daring leap, "So, Charcol," She began, "How do you know her again, Scott?"

"I don't." He mumbled.

"Oh," Vericia looked at her feet, "Well, how did you come across her then?"

"I don't know, I just did," He retorted.

"Oh."

"You don't have to be smart about it," Malem spoke, not looking at either of them, just the shops they passed by.

"I wasn't being _smart_!" Scott snapped.

Malem turned her head to look at him, "I think you were being _smart_ to her!"

"I wasn't!"

"You were!"

"No!" he testified.

"Yes!"

"Shut up!" Vericia screamed, startling them both. Malem and Scott stared at her. She blushed, "Uh… Eh… What?" She asked her voice cracking.

Scott and Malem continued to stare at her for several seconds more before turning around and advancing down the road in silence. The three walked a few yards further until, finally, Scott stopped in front of an old wood building with an ugly green sign that read, 'Braille's Books' in big gold letters.

"Here?" Malem cried, "She works here?"

Scott nodded, refusing to look at her, "She lives here too."

"Seems so, what's the word I'm looking for? So, not inviting," Vericia said, "What's that word?"

"You mean _uninviting_?" Scott asked.

"Yeah, that's the word, thanks!"

He raised an eyebrow, "You're welcome."

Malem shoved him in the shoulder, "Just go!"

Scott cursed under his breath and wearily stepped inside.

The white haired girl watched him with spiteful eyes and followed him in. Vericia rubbed her emerald eyes and took up the rear.

The three assassin children stopped dead in their tracks as they entered. The room extended back as far as the eye could see. Books were stacked up as high as the ceiling, the room was lit by hundreds of candles lined along the shelves. The three's footsteps echoed off the wooden walls and floors.

"It's so quiet, you could drop a pin in here!" Vericia exclaimed.

Her voice echoed and somewhere a stack of books tumbled creating a large crashing sound, "Oops…"

"Well, not anymore," Malem commented.

Something in the back stirred, making Scott jump.

"Scared?" Malem mocked. He glared at her.

A rolling ladder clattered towards them, on it was a girl in white. She wore a long two piece dress. It was old fashioned looking, like something from the renaissance. It flowed behind her as she jumped down. What struck the three as odd was that, in the dark lighting of the room, this girl was wearing sunglasses. She was definitely older than them by a good four or five years.

Scott opened his mouth to speak, but the girl beat him to it, "Can I help you?" she said, staring at them.

Malem shuddered; this girl's stare seemed to be going right through them.

"Can I help you?" She asked again when no one answered.

Scott shook his hair, "Oh, yes. We're here to see Charcol."

The girl cocked her head, "Well," she began, she strode gracefully over to the main desk in the center of the room, initially bumping her thigh on the side, knocking off a stack of books as she found the seat, "Charcol's not here at the moment. You can try coming back later."

"But this is urgent!" Scott and Malem said at the same time. They instantly stopped, glared at each other, then looked away in opposite directions.

The girl didn't notice, "I'm sorry. But she's not here," she calmly said, adjusting a stack of papers in front of her, her warm smile gone.

Vericia grabbed Malem's wrist, "Let's just go."

"No! I'm not leaving until I find out what I want to know."

The girl at the front desk gasped. She spun around, dropping the stack papers, "Are you Malem?" She almost yelled.

Malem nodded.

"Are you?" She yelled again.

Malem seemed a little frightened, "Yes I am! I said I am!"

"Well I'll be Shakespeare's next murder victim! We've been waiting for you!" She sprinted around the desk and grabbed Vericia's wrist by accident.

"Uh, ma'am, I'm not Malem," Vericia said examining the assistant's hand around her wrist.

The lady blushed and let go, "My apologies." She then grabbed Malem's wrist and dragged her down the endless shelves of books with Vericia and Scott jogging behind them.

"You are probably the weirdest person I've ever met," Malem commented, then she saw Scott following, "I take it back, you are the _second_ weirdest person."

"Thank you." She said holding her head up high, "I take that as a compliment!"

"Are you—?" The girl cut her off.

"Blind? Yes."

"I was going to say daft, but that works too."

"Oh." The girl blushed again, "Anyway Malem, we've been waiting, Charcol and I."

She dragged Malem down row after row of books. It became darker and a more hollow feeling filled the large library. The books seemed to age the further down they went, turning from old bibles to scrolls. When the blind girl stopped and everyone could breathe calmly once again, Malem looked around. They had stopped in front of a fancy looking door. Gold lining framed a beautiful floral design on the well polished oak. There didn't appear to be any doorknob, and the girl noticed this. She ran her fingers into the hole where the knob _should_ go.

"Oh, not again!" She spat, "I hate my job!"

Malem, Scott, and Vericia stared at her. "I'll be right back," She growled, storming down an isle of cabinets. She violently pulled open a random door, reached in and pulled out a ratty old knob. She then slammed the door, the sound of clanking metal echoed around the library.

The blind girl jammed the knob into the hole and twisted it until the bulky door clicked on the other side.

The girl pulled the door and it swung open with a small squeal. Malem, Vericia, and Scott peered inside. It was an empty white room. No windows, no old book stacks, nothing.

"What it this?" Vericia spoke, "It's so bare."

"Really?" The girl said, "I never noticed before."

"Was that supposed to be sarcastic?" Scott asked.

The girl shook her head, "Not really. Now go on in."

The three were escorted into the piercing white room. The girl closed the door and the clank of metal echoed on the other side.

"Damn doorknob!" The girl screamed.

"Kyse, watch your language in front of our guests." A woman's voice echoed through the white room.

In the corner a door opened, showing access to a black room. Stepping out was a tall woman wearing a pretty, purple, silk dress. In her hands was a small book with no words on the cover. She snapped his shut and shook her strait brown hair out of her face. Her eyes were a beautiful coal black and her complexion was perfect.

"Welcome," she said in a warm soft voice, "What can I do for you?"

"They came to see you." The girl, Kyse, said.

"Well, I can obviously see that."

"Well excuse me, Miss I Can Use My Eyes!"

The woman rolled her eyes and looked at Scott, then to Vericia before her eyes fell on Malem.

She approached the girl and looked her over, nodding.

"What?" Malem snapped.

The woman gave her a sharp looked and smacked her across the face, "Respect your elders!"

Malem held her face in shock.

Vericia and Scott gaped at the woman.

"I'm Charcol. Welcome to my terms."


End file.
